


Fast Buck

by tinx_r



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-05
Updated: 2009-09-05
Packaged: 2017-11-17 15:45:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinx_r/pseuds/tinx_r
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Money's tight and things are looking grim. Cody takes drastic measures...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fast Buck

**Title:** Fast Buck  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Summary:** Money's tight and things are looking grim. Cody takes drastic measures...

Cody picked listlessly at his piece of toast covered in jelly, the best the galley of the Riptide Detective Agency could deliver for breakfast that morning. Work was steady, but with the increase in corporate work they'd picked up after Tricor's collapse, all their new clients paid their bills promptly on the 20th of the month - and only on the 20th.

Today was the 17th.

What with the medical bills for the "scratch" Nick had sustained - Cody ran a hand over his face, thanking god that the infection had cleared and his partner was now nearly healed - and their usual daily expenses, their bank account looked damn light right now. The balance - $7.12 - was enough, he supposed, to buy gas for the Jimmy in a pinch.

Across from him, Nick finished his piece of toast and stood up with a determinedly cheerful smile. Cody winced as Nick pressed his arm against his left side.

"Still bothering you, pal?" he asked sympathetically.

"Good as new," Nick lied, grinning more brightly. "Listen, I thought I'd go see if I can pick up a harbor tour. Mimi's got enough gas to do a loop."

Cody sighed. "Pal, you shouldn't be flying yet. You know what the doc said."

"I know," Nick agreed. "But I'm telling you, Cody, I'm fine. Don't fuss, okay? Be back in a couple hours." He went cautiously up the steps to the wheelhouse.

Cody watched him go, frowning in concern. They needed the cash, he couldn't deny it - they'd run out of credit at Straightaway's, and they'd eaten the emergency supply of canned beans for last night's dinner. The toast they'd had for breakfast had used the last of their bread, and by Cody's reckoning they had half a box of cornflakes, a jar of apple sauce and a stale package of cake mix to see them through the next three days. But the idea of Nick, still sore and tiring easily, flying tourists in the lumbering pink chopper so that they could eat, made Cody's heart ache.

Slowly he got up from the table, clearing the plates. He took them downstairs to the galley and heard Murray's tuneless whistle interspersed with the clatter of the keyboard.

"Hey Boz." Cody looked in on him, and Murray shot him a grin, looking quickly up from the screen. His fingers flew over the keyboard and the display changed, green letters and shapes scrolling across the screen.

"Hi, Cody. Wow, this security contract we picked up from Tricor is so boss. I've figured out a new method of programming the cameras' locus of control - in effect, they're tracking movement now - and with the new hardware, it's going to be state of the art!"

"Good one, Murray." Cody summoned up a smile. "Is there anyone on our list who might pay today, buddy?"

"Pay? No... Golian's will pay on the twentieth... so will Jackson Wright... no, sorry, Cody." Murray frowned and looked up. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, sure, Murray, sure." Cody pasted on a smile. "Just wondering, that's all." He gave his friend a wave, and retreated to the salon.

Tied up in his projects, Murray hadn't noticed the sorry state of the Riptide's galley, and Cody didn't want to enlighten him. He knew Murray would blame himself and maybe do something silly like sell one of his prototypes or ideas for less than their worth. Cody rubbed his face distractedly. There had to be a way.

Unhappily, he picked up last week's newspaper - the last one they'd been able to afford - and flicked over the pages. There was nothing on board to sell, and the Riptide didn't have enough diesel in her tanks to take a fishing charter out. Cody was wondering whether he could pick up a day's work at the boatyard when his eye fell on a name he knew.

"Well, I'll be damned." Cody laughed out loud and jumped to his feet, glancing at his watch. He had an hour. That just gave him time to change.

*

It was three o clock, and Nick's smile was slipping. He'd talked to every tourist in Redondo, felt like, and no-one wanted to hear about Nick Ryder's Harbor Tours, or a waterskiing option, or even a private tour in a vintage Corvette. His side ached, his head throbbed, and he wanted nothing more than to go home and curl up next to Cody with a hot cup of coffee or better, a cold beer.

But he couldn't bear the idea of going home empty handed. Their current dire straits were due to doctor's bill and prescriptions for the damned bullet wound, and Nick swore under his breath. The antibiotics - well, he'd needed those, no two ways about it, but he could've done without the painkillers. That would've been another twenty bucks for groceries, and anything was better than seeing Cody picking at his food, the worry lines deep around his eyes.

Nick cursed again.

"Nick! Hey Nick!" Nick turned in surprise to see Cody leaning out of the Jimmy, waving excitedly. "Nick!"

"What is it, pal?" Nick walked over as quickly as he dared, keeping his arm pressed against his side. Moving too fast still sent pain shooting up his side.

"Get in!" Cody brandished a fistful of cash. "Let's go shopping, buddy."

"Cody - what?" Nick slid into the car and took the notes from his partner as Cody gunned the engine, pulling the Jimmy out into the street with a roar. "There's nearly a hundred bucks here!"

"A hundred bucks less twelve for gas," Cody confirmed, grinning jauntily. "Whaddaya say to steak for dinner?"

"I say it's a great idea," Nick said slowly, counting the money again. "But Cody... where'd you get it?"

"I - uh - remembered a guy owed me money." Cody's smile slipped a bit as he turned into the parking lot of the Alpha Beta.

"What guy?" Nick frowned. "Cody - "

"Just a guy." Cody parked and shut off the engine, looking at Nick sideways. "C'mon, pal, let's hurry up. We got enough for beer too, and I dunno about you, but I sure could use a beer before dinner."

*

The steaks had been perfect, tender and juicy, and Nick had watched with satisfaction as Cody finished the last of the barbecue sauce. Even Murray had put his work aside and was sprawled in a deck chair, cradling a beer, wearing a happy grin and singing along to PCH on the radio.

"Wow, that was such a boss day," he said dreamily. "First I coded a brand new method for mapping location and movement, then I solved the Roboz's visual anomaly and then steak for dinner - I wish every day was like this!"

"Maybe not every day," Nick said, grinning and leaning back in his chair. "But dinner sure was good." He shifted slightly, bringing his shoulder into contact with Cody's, and grinned again as, under the table, Cody pressed their legs together. "Cody, where'd you get that cash, anyhow?"

"I told you, I remembered a guy who owed me money." Nick felt Cody tense, and turned to look at his partner. Cody shrugged a shoulder. "One night at Straightaway's?" he said lamely.

Nick opened his mouth to speak, just as the strains of PCH died away. _"This is Wanda Wise, coming to you today from King Harbor,"_ the radio squawked, and Nick closed his mouth again as Cody jumped.

"Murray, turn that off," Cody said loudly.

Murray sat up as though to obey, but Wanda went right on talking. _"I spent a pleasant hour today judging King Harbor's best dressed man,"_ the style maven crooned, _"and what a lot of lovely gents there are in King Harbor, ladies!"_

Cody jumped to his feet, heading for the radio, but Nick jumped up too, ignoring the pain in his side. "Oh, no you don't, pal," he growled softly, grabbing Cody's shoulders and pulling him back. He ignored the pleading look in Cody's eyes, holding him tightly.

Wanda went on. _"Taking out today's top prize was a stylish young man I'm always pleased to see! Blond, good-looking - and single, I hear, girls! - Cody Allen took out the title of King Harbor's Best Dressed Man with a beautiful ensemble of creams and whites, absolutely stunning I tell you. The pictures will be in tomorrow's paper and I urge you all..."_

Whatever else Wanda had to say on the subject was lost in Nick's shout of laughter and Murray's congratulations. Cody threw up his hands, laughing as his partners teased him.

"Hey," he protested, "the winnings bought dinner, so who's complaining?"

"What I want to know," Nick growled, very low, making sure Murray didn't overhear, "is how long til I can undress King Harbor's Best Dressed Man." He nipped gently at Cody's earlobe, grinning as his partner blushed scarlet. "C'mon, guys," he said, out loud. "Who's ready for dessert?"


End file.
